Corset-clasp



(No Model.) G. D. NICHOLS.

CORSET CLASP.

No. 430,874. Patented June24, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. NICHOLS, OF NEV CANAAN, CONNECTICUT.

CORSET-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION formingpart "of Letters Patent No. 430,874, dated June 24, 1890.

Application filed August 29, 1889. Serial No. 322,341. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. NICHOLS, of New Canaan, in the county of Fairlield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvementin Corset-Clasps;andIdo hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to he a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a face view of the two husks locked together, the one husk A being in the pocket-strip; Fig. 2, a portion of the two busks, showing one eye and stud disengaged; Fig. 3, one eye detached; Fig. 4, a transverse section on line 00 m of Fi 1.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of clasps for corsets which consist of a pair of husks adapted to be introduced into the edges of the respectiveparts of the corset, one husk being provided with studs and the other with eyes to engage the studs. In the usual construction the eyes, which are attached to one husk, are constructed with an opening in width corresponding to the body of the stud, the inner end of the opening enlarged, so as to pass over the stud; but such clasps are liable to accidental detachment while on the wearer, and freqnently to the great inconvenience of the wearer.

Various devices have been provided to produce a lock for the clasp, so that accidental disengagement is impossible.

My invention relates more especially to a clasp provided with such a locking device; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction of the locking device, as more fully hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claim.

A represents one husk, to which the usual studs a are applied, and B the second husk, to which the eyes I? are applied. The eyes I) are made from the usual sheet metal and secured to the husk by rivets or otherwise. The eyes are constructed with their outer end open, so as to form a U-shaped recess (1, as seen in Fig. 3, the width of the recess d corresponding substantially to the body of. the stud, but less than the head of the stud. The sides of the recess at the outer end diverge,

soas to produce awide mouth as an entrance to the recess (Z. The several eyes in the one husk correspond in position to the studs on the other husk, as usual in corset-clasps. Each of the eyes is provided with a latch e, hung upon a pivot f, the said pivot here represented as one of the rivets by which the eyes are secured'to the husk, andso that the latches may swing in a plane across the faces of the eyes. The outer ends of the latches are of hook shape, so as to form a shoulder which may extend across the recess d, as seen in Fig. 2, leaving an open portion of the recess upon the inside of the shoulder, within which the body of the stud may rest. The latches extend to the rear of the pivot f, to form tails h, and the tails of the latches are each hung to a sliding rod 2', which lies fiat upon the husk B. This rod 2 is adapted to slide longitudinally, and so as to turn the latches from the position seen in Fig. 1 to that seen in broken lines in same figure, the position in broken lines taking the shoulders of the latches away from the recesses in the eyes, and so that those recesses will be open for the escape or entrance of the studs. The latches are also provided with a shoulder Z, which may strike the other rivet of the eyes, or any suitable stop thereon, which will serve to arrest the swinging movement ot the latches when they are in their proper position to close the recesses of the eyes, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The rod t'is provided with a suitable spring, here represented as a spiral spring m, and also a torsion-spring n, the tendency of which is to force the rod in the direction to bring the latches to the closed position, as seen in Fig. 1, but yield to the movement of the rod to the open position The outer end of the nose or shoulder g of the latches is beveled outward so that as the latches are forced against the studs they may automatically give way, so as to pass over the studs.

The two busks are applied to the corset in the usual manner.

To engage the eyes with the studs, they are brought to the position as seen in Fig. 2, and then forced together, so that the nose of the latch willstrike the stud on one side, and the opposite side of the recess strike the other side of the stud, and thus forced together the latch will give way until the eyes have passed onto the studs, and so that the latches may drop upon the rear of the studs, as seen in Fig. 1, and thus interlock the eyes with their respective studs.

The rod is provided with any suitable connection by which the wearer may operate it, as by a stud or knob 4", adapted to extend through the front of the pocket which incloses the busk B, as a convenient handle for operating the rod.

7 To disengage the clasp, the rod is moved, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 1, until the several latches have escaped from their respeetive studs. Then the clasps naturally separate. I

It will be understood that either of the springs illustrated will be sufficient to yieldingly hold the latches in the closed position, or that any suitable spring may be employed for that purpose.

I do not wish to be understood as claiming, broadly, a spring-latch as a lock for corsetclasps, as such, I am aware, is not new.

I am aware that corset-clasps have been constructed with eyes on one part to engage studs on the other part, and with swinging hooks adapted to interlock with said stud when the parts are closed, and also that such hooks have been connected so that a single movement would operate all the hooks. 'I

therefore do not wish to be understood as claiming, broadly, such a construction of clasp; but

What I do claim is A pair of bnsks for a corset, the one provided with headed studs (1, the other with corresponding stationary eye-pieces Z), the said eye-pieces constructed with a recess at their outer ends, the width of the said recess at its inner end less than the diameter of the head of the stud, the opening into said recess flaring, combined with latches e, hung upon a pivot on each of said eye-pieces, one arm of the latch extending forward and constructed at the outer end in hook shape to pass across the said recesses in the eye, the nose of the latch beveled outward across the opening, the other arm of the latches extending rearward beyond their pivots, a vertically-sliding rod hung to the several latches, a spring bet-ween the busk and said rod, whereby the latches are yieldingly held in their closed position,

the said latches constructed with a shoulder,

and the eye-piece with a corresponding stop, against which said shoulder may strike when the latch is in the closed position, substanstantially as described.

GEORGE D. NICHOLS. Witnesses:

JAMEs A. McGINNIss, V. M. ANDRUS. 

